Minori couldn't help but reread the information panel on the profession — [Cursed Knight].
It was powerful. In fact, frighteningly so.
Even among high-tier classes, Minori hadn't expected the difference to be this dramatic.He had previously regarded the passive traits of his earlier hybrid class [Magic Swordsman] as fairly decent — particularly Magic Infusion, which had practical use in both alchemy and scroll crafting.
But now…
Seeing the innate abilities of [Cursed Knight], especially Full Curse Resistance and Dark Attribute Resistance I—
"Now that's what I'd call real passives."
He wasn't even factoring in the offensive curses embedded in the class's unique skill tree.
The only drawback was a professional penalty labeled [No Rest]. But Minori wasn't concerned. At his current stage, he didn't even have proper equipment, let alone any need to rest like a mortal.
He sat cross-legged on the inn's soft bed, activating the new ability with a mere thought.
A faint mist of black energy rose from his palm — a cursed vapor, dark and menacing.
"So this is curse energy."
Minori calmly observed the spectral haze, comparing it with the corrupted energy he'd once seen radiating from Leinas.
The quality was almost identical — though the energy in his own hand felt... deeper. Denser. More refined.
And—it was completely under his control.
With another thought, the mist vanished like smoke in the wind.
"No instability. No feedback. Just full access. It's like holding a new element."
He touched his cheek unconsciously, checking his skin. Smooth.
"No decay or disfigurement... unlike Leinas."
Minori frowned in thought.
It seemed the rotting half of Leinas face wasn't caused solely by the [Cursed Knight] class. He recalled the details she had shared — how she'd acquired the class only after being cursed by a unique monster during a territorial defense mission.
"So, it wasn't the class that caused her disfigurement... but the curse she took on to earn it."
The monster had been defeated by Leinas back then, meaning it wasn't particularly powerful. She was currently only Orichalcum-ranked among adventurers.
That raised a question:
"Was that curse special? Could a simple death curse really unlock a high-tier class?"
Minori made a mental note to investigate it further. If monsters like that existed in the New World, he might be able to force class evolution through similar cursed encounters.
But for now—
He had other priorities.
Minori reached out and muttered softly:
"Immortal Spirit."
A subtle flash of magic pulsed over his body — enhancing his resistance to mental interference and possession.
Then, with a flick of his fingers, he summoned the object that had been resting in his inventory:
The Orb of Death.
A chilling, dark stone pulsing with necrotic power.
"Human... what have you done?""Where have you taken the will of death?""This is no grave... this is sacrilege!""Embrace the void!"
Voices exploded in Minori's head, a cacophony of whispers and shrieks.
The Orb of Death screamed through his mind like a thousand angry spirits.Yet his expression remained cold, his gaze fixed on the object.
The noise grew louder.
But—
There was no mental backlash.
No forced status effect. No psychic invasion.
Minori frowned slightly.
"Odd... [Cursed Knight] is supposed to weaken or resist necrotic artifacts. But this one's still howling."
He reviewed the passive [No Rest] again.
Then his eyes widened.
"...It only activates when curse power is released."
Minori raised his hand again, and a deep curse mist swirled from his body.
The moment it touched the Orb of Death—Its obsidian surface lit up with a blackened, metallic glow, as if molten steel had begun pouring from within.
"Ahh—what is this?!"
The Orb shrieked in agony.
It tried to resist, emitting bursts of necrotic light—but the cursed energy overwhelmed it.
The corrupted surface melted like ice, deforming under pressure.
Then—with a thought, Minori retracted the energy.
The black mist vanished.The Orb went silent.
"Confirmed. Like [Magic Swordsman], the new class has passive effects that only trigger contextually."
He had confirmed it: [No Rest], while labeled as a drawback, could be toggled.This ran contrary to YGGDRASIL's rigid mechanics.
In the game, drawbacks were always active. But in this world...
Minori recalled Ainz's comment about Ulbert, one of the original Supreme Beings.
Ulbert's job class [World Disaster] doubled mana consumption — a harsh passive with no exceptions.Yet Ainz had speculated that if Ulbert were here, he might be able to disable it at will.
"Just like I can suppress [No Rest]."
—
Minori raised the Orb again, focusing this time on his [Magic Swordsman] passive.
"Magic Infusion: Curse."
He funneled curse energy directly into the Orb.
"Humans!""You dare... overwrite death?!""Power... stronger than death...?"
The object began to scream, its consciousness destabilizing under Minori's manipulation.
By dawn—
Minori finally cut the flow of energy and examined the result.
The once-formidable Orb of Death was now a dim black stone. Its internal power had been rewritten.
[Item: Cursed Magical Artifact – Orb of Death]Level: Advanced (Est. 30–40)
Effect: Energy Tank (0/280)
Passive:
Negative Energy Absorption – Absorbs dark energy to restore charge.
Active:
Summon Bone Dragon – Consumes 100 energy.
Note: Prior passive and active skills overwritten. Item rank reduced.
"Its value to a necromancer has dropped… but now it fits me perfectly."
The Orb's rank was still technically "Superior", but Minori knew the real power had dropped by at least two tiers.
And yet—he was satisfied.
Despite staying up all night, his mind was sharp, alert. Energized.
He slipped the altered Orb into his inventory and turned to the window.
"It's dawn."
Time to move.
—
As he descended the stairs to the first floor of the inn, he spotted two figures waiting:
Leinas and Imina.
They sat on opposite sides of a low table in the common room. Leinas wore a polite smile, but her eyes were distant. Imina sat with arms crossed, glancing between Minori and Leinas with open wariness.
When they noticed him, both women stood.
Leinas took a hesitant step forward — a mix of hope and unease on her face.
But Minori spoke before she could.
"Two methods," he said flatly, still walking.